James R. Lilley

James R. Lilley (born January 15, 1928 in Tsingtao, China) was the Director of the American Institute in Taiwan from 1981 to 1984. He was also the U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Korea from 1986 to 1989 and to the People's Republic of China from 1989 to 1991. In China, he is known by his Chinese name Li Jieming (Simplified Chinese: 李洁明; Traditional Chinese: 李潔明; Pinyin: Lǐ Jiémíng). He is the youngest child of Frank Walder Lilley II and Inez Lilley, husband to Sally Lilley.

Prior to his career with the State Department, Lilley worked for the CIA for twenty-five years in Laos, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. His stint as Ambassador to China was marked by the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

He holds a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a master's degree in International Relations from The George Washington University. He has studied Chinese Classics at Hong Kong University and Columbia University.

In 2004 he published a memoir, "China Hands", which deals with his early exposure to Asia living in China with his family and his professional career. He currently is serving as a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

External links

* [http://www.theworldwithoutus.com/ "The World Without US - A Documentary"] -- Ambassador Lilley is interviewed regarding the US involvement in Taiwan and Japan. Film to be released, January 2, 2008